The Camp Support Team is excited to announce Burning Man’s 2025 Camp Symposium! Whether you are a seasoned camp lead or it’s going to be your first time to Black Rock City, the Camp Symposium is an opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together as a community. Everyone’s welcome!
Learn more about the 2025 Camp Symposium Speakers and Presenters HERE!
10-10:30am PT – Welcome
10:45-12:15pm PT – Panel Workshops
12:15-12:45pm PT – Meal & Video Break
12:45-1:45pm PT – Plenary
2-3:30pm PT – Open Discussions
Pre-registration has passed
Click Here to Join the Zoom Live on 3/22
Email campsupport@burningman.org if you have any questions or come across issues joining the Symposium.
Welcome (10-10:30am PT)
- Presenters: Bryant “Level” Tan (Associate Director of City Planning), Charlie “Louder” Dolman (Event Operations Director), Marian Goodell (Chief Executive Officer)
- Panelists: Harley K. Dubois (Cultural Founder), Andie “Actiongirl” Grace (Philosophical Center), and Stuart Mangrum (Philosophical Center)
Panel Workshops (10:45-12:15pm)
Have a BLAST: Learning from failures and sharing about sustainability efforts on playa. Topics include BLAST, playa-wide composting program, solar power, grey water management and more!
- Panelists: Kat “Magnolia” Nadel (Burners Without Borders, IDEATE), Steven “Doctor Steve” Queen (Playa Penthouse), Jessie “Papercut” Gibson (My Dad’s House), Claire Wild
Unpacking Your Digital Goodie Bag: Answers at Your Fingertips: Overwhelmed with camp prep questions? “How do we…?” “Where do we find…?” “What do we need…?” This interactive session will introduce you to a treasure trove of online resources to simplify your camp planning and help you answer a lot of those questions. Plus, bring your go-to resources to share as we build the handy camp prep toolkit together!
- Presenters: Berta “Pita MamaBear” Hodges (FAFA) and Teresa “T-Fire” Delfin (Barbie Death Village)
So You Want to Start a Theme Camp?: New and old theme camp organizers discuss best practices for starting a theme camp, and the lessons that every new camp organizer should know if you’re starting one in 2025.
- Panelists: Michael “Dustin” Fasman (Black Rock Tea Company), Mark Duncan (The Sound Garden), Lori “Mom” Archer (Barbie Death Village), Louis Reinhardt (Bad Education)
How to Still Love You Campmates After the Burn: As TCO’s, you have a list of resources to help your campmates survive the desert. But do you have the inner resources needed to coexist, grow, and thrive together? Join us for a discussion on conflict mediation and emotional intelligence, and leave equipped with tools to foster a deeper connection with your campmates, even when you don’t see eye to eye.
- Panelists: Stacey “Ranger Keeper” Black (Ranger Outpost Tokyo), Adam “Papadam” Stein (FAFA Camp), Daquan “Big Soda” Carathers (Native Tongues), Michaële “NoLimit” Antoine
Plenary (12:45-1:45pm PT)
- Updates for Black Rock City 2025
- Making Things Easier
- Going Green in Black Rock City
- Info you need from BRC Fuel Program, Outside Services, Fuel Safety and MOOP
Open Discussions (2-3:30pm PT)
Keep the Fire Burning: You’ve set up an amazing camp, how do you make it last? We’ll discuss burnout prevention, and how to set up a deep bench to keep the dream alive when leadership changes.
- Panelists: Gaway “G Turtle” Young (Sake To Me), Travis Newscomb (Ataraxia), Ron “Capt Ron” Taniwaki (Orphan Endorphin, Banana Hammocks), David Heiblem (Bad Education)
Frontage and Layouts: Let’s discuss how to make a facade that entices participants to come into your camp and enjoy what you’re offering, and how to build it with the least amount of difficulty. We’ll also discuss how to layout your camp to best facilitate interactivity, living, cooking, parking and other requirements. Bring your questions!
Helping People Do it Right!: Conflicts around acculturation often happen on playa. These moments provide an opportunity for bringing people into our community and values through skilled communication. Build on conflict resolution skills to brainstorm ways to handle common acculturation conflicts.
Camp Financials: Wondering how other camps handle money and expenses? Does your camp have the finances dialed in? Ask your questions and share your experiences with the various ways theme camps deal with the dollars.
Interactivity Ideas: Come join this discussion on what makes for engaging interactivity. Share experiences that you have had, or things that worked well for your camp, or even interactivity fails! This is an open conversation about one of the best things about the Burn.
Let’s Continue Having a BLAST!: Thinking about going green or have an awesome thing you’d like to share? Let’s continue the morning breakout session “Have a Blast”. Bring your questions and ideas and things you’re trying.
If you’re in San Francisco on March 22…
Join us at the post-Symposium happy hour!
Meet fellow camp organizers, discuss what you learned, and make connections in person! Plus, we’re bringing back our clothing & accessory exchange! Dig through your closets and bins for fun party outfits and playa-ready add-ons to bring to the party. Swap, share, and refresh your look!
Space is limited, so sign up today. Admission is $10 – drinks and bites will be provided.
Register for the Camp Symposium Happy Hour here.
To view content from previous Camp Symposiums, visit Burning Man Project’s YouTube channel. There’s a lot of great information from former years that are still useful today!